3 teams that will regret not trading for Stefon Diggs

After a tumultuous final season as a member of the Minnesota Vikings, superstar wide receiver Stefon Diggs is now part of the Buffalo Bills organization. On Monday evening, the Vikings agreed to trade Diggs to the Bills in exchange for a slew of future NFL Draft picks with the Pro Bowl wide receiver finally getting his wish granted en route to departing Minnesota.

Disgruntled at times last season, Stefon Diggs then sent out a few cryptic tweets shortly before getting shipped out of town for a hefty haul for the Vikings. Seemingly happy as the newest member of the Bills, the former Maryland Terrapins standout will now look to thrive as a team’s true No. 1 wide out alongside up-and-coming quarterback Josh Allen.

Although the Bills also house both John Brown and Cole Beasley at the wide receiver position, Stefon Diggs will no doubt quickly become the team’s top option along the outside. On the other hand, Diggs was part of a legitimate “1A, 1B” situation in Minnesota as fellow Pro Bowl wide out Adam Thielen always remained very much in the mix.

Nonetheless, Stefon Diggs is on his way from Minnesota to Buffalo but there are still definitely a few teams from around the league that will be kicking themselves for not attempting to acquire the impactful pass catcher. Because the Vikings would never have dealt Diggs to another NFC foe — let alone a team in the same NFC North division — the realistic options outside of the Bills all must reside in the AFC.

Despite the fact that this list could get a bit lengthy due to Stefon Diggs’ ability as a top notch wide out, the New York Jets, Las Vegas Raiders and New England Patriots surely sit atop such a group.

New York Jets

The New York Jets have Sam Darnold to solidify the team’s quarterback position with Pro Bowl running back Le’Veon Bell flanking him in the offensive backfield. However, the team is currently in position to lose its No. 1 wide receiver in Robby Anderson, who is now officially an unrestricted free agent. Although there have been at least some rumors that the Jets will attempt to retain Anderson, nothing is certain throughout the NFL landscape these days — especially when a player has the ability to negotiate with other teams.

With Stefon Diggs previously on the trade market, the Jets should have pounced in order to cement the role of the team’s top pass catcher. Instead, the Jets allowed a divisional rival in the Bills to swoop in en route to acquiring Diggs.

Hopefully for “Gang Green,” Stefon Diggs doesn’t make them regret their decision not once but twice per season for years to come.

Las Vegas Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders remain in some sort of limbo stage, all of which seemingly started with the abrupt and chaotic departure of former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown. Ever since, the Raiders have been forced to deflect rumor after rumor regarding starting quarterback Derek Carr. With Carr seemingly slated to begin the 2020 campaign as the team’s starter under center once again, it certainly wouldn’t have hurt to bring in Stefon Diggs to serve as the team’s top option along the outside.

The trio of the former Minnesota Vikings and current Buffallo Bills pass catcher, Carr and soon-to-be second-year running back Josh Jacobs could have given the middling AFC West franchise some stability — and in a hurry. Not only that, but the Raiders could have paired this trio with a few other weapons that Las Vegas has at its disposal including tight end Darren Waller, slot receiver Hunter Renfrow and veteran wide out Tyrell Williams.

New England Patriots

According to reports Tuesday evening, former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is heading to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While this does not come as a major surprise considering the Buccaneers have remained in the mix all along — even if the NFC South franchise wasn’t always leading the way — Brady initially revealed that he would be leaving New England early Tuesday morning. Stefon Diggs would have made sense in New England. Patriots brass has known about Brady’s decision to head elsewhere for about 24 hours while New England isn’t a team that likes to wait around.

Because Brady is now onto Tampa Bay, the Patriots are going to need the team’s next signal caller — whoever that may be — to be surrounded by weapons in order to continue the team’s immense success. With that in mind, Stefon Diggs would have been quite the starting point.